Impossible
by miss.SunFlower
Summary: After a close brush with death, North starts to rethink his relationship with his assistant, Sydelle. Brightly Woven Fanfic. A book few have read, sadly. One shot.  Now with another one shot on the side!
1. Chapter 1

So I can be a bit of a book hipster sometimes. I'll find books I love that no one has heard of or read. Brightly Woven is a GREAT example. I wasn't at all shocked to see it didn't have a section on here. I don't expect this to get read by lots of people for this reason. All the same, if you do stumble upon it GREAT.

Hope you enjoy! :)

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><p>Wayland North fell back against the wall with a sigh. He held Sydelle against him gently, as though she were glass. As though she could shatter and break away from him and leave him on his own once more.<p>

"That's my girl..." He whispered, resting his cheek against the top of her head. She'd really been remarkably brave, he thought. She'd very nearly died. If he hadn't been able to... no. There was no use thinking in 'if's. She was safe. That was what counted in the end.

It was useless, impossible and utterly useless, trying to explain the strong protectiveness that came over him in regards to the redhead still shaking in his arms. Even trying to explain it to himself. North had survived so many years on his own, with only a handful of friends and allies he hardly saw anyways. He liked to think he was protective of them as well - anyone who hurt Owain would have Hell to pay - but something about her pushed him over some sort of edge at the thought of her threatened. And it had nothing, nothing at all, to do with her blood. The very thing he'd stole her for. The reason, the main one at least, why he lied to her.

And it didn't matter to him at all now.

In all of that, when he'd stolen Sydelle Mirabil away from her desert home, he hadn't planned on her being so _human_. She was a jinx after all; everything everyone had ever written or read was that jinxes were out of control, like a rabid animal, they had to be put down before they caused more destruction. But there she was, full of _life_ and fear and anger and wonder and curiosity and fierce love and protectiveness for the people who deserved it. North understood that. He hadn't planned on her being someone he understood, someone who might, just might, understand him.

His plan on what to do with Sydelle had been changing with his emotions. It was a month into their journey, when she ran away, that he knew he could never, ever, take her blood. From that moment until mere minutes ago, it had been that he would find a way to lock up her power, keep her from unintentionally harming anyone. After their mission was done, he'd take her where ever she wished to go, as promised, and leave her there, content that the lock would keep other wizards from harming _her_. He may visit her if he ever came through that place again, as he did with his other friends. That would be that.

However, now, as he held her and stroked her hair and calmed her - and himself - from her brush with death, North discovered that _that_ he could not do either. Insane; she would be perfectly safe, he would see to that. But that wasn't it. It was the idea of being without her, traveling without her by his side, not seeing her blue eyes flash with irritation, or her lips tug with a grudging smile. That brief piercing fear had gripped him as he struggled to save her life... he _never_ wanted to be without her. Not anymore. Impossible. In a month and a half of traveling he could no longer imagine his life without Sydelle in it.

Enough. The thoughts were only getting more and more troublesome and she was still shaking, no longer from pain but from fear. It was sinking in, what had nearly happened to her.

"Syd," He said. "You're alright now, I promise. You need to rest, though." He glanced around the dark room, the beds they'd been given were against the opposite wall. "Can you stand?" He asked.

There was a long pause and North wondered if she was, in fact, asleep. Then a quiet, hoarse whisper, "...I can try."

So like her, it was, not to give up without trying. But North saw her expression twist in pain as she attempted, even in the little light, and shook his head. Wordlessly, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to her bed. She was obviously too exhausted to protest, or else he knew she would have.

On a much softer surface and with a promise she was alright, Sydelle was asleep nearly instantly. He turned to his own bed, wondering idly if he would actually be able to sleep.

"North..."

Sydelle's sleepy murmur of his name made him jump. He looked back at her; eyes closed and expression relaxed, there wasn't a chance she was awake. Still, tentatively he whispered, "Yes?"

A pause and she shifted a little, nestling her head against the cool pillow. Then, finally, "Thank... you.."

In that instant he loved her.

He sighed, mentally cursing the impossibility of it all. He waited a few minutes to see if Sydelle would speak again. When she didn't he shook his head, and brushed a curl off her face.

"Ah, Syd," He breathed. "Why do you have to make everything so complicated?"

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><p>Hope you liked it! Please review. It would make me happy! :)<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Long ago this story was meant as two parts. But I never uploaded the second. Here, for what few readers I have. Have part two.

This is from Sydelle's point of view, and is basically the reverse of the positions in part one.

If you've found this; enjoy. (and review! :D)

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><p>Confusing and irritable as her undefinable magic was, Sydelle had never been more thankful for it as she was watching North's expression smooth from the pained look it had minutes ago and helped him lie back against the bed. If she hadn't had whatever she had she wouldn't be able to make pain elixirs that at least eased his torment. "The strongest he'd ever had," he'd told her once. She smiled absently, despite not being at all happy.<p>

He still held her hand, and though there were things to do, she couldn't bring herself to pull away. That had been, without a doubt, the most terrifying thing she'd ever witnessed. Watching him suffer like that. She had a few dozen questions for him now, but those could wait. She knew she had already seen more than he wanted her to.

Their hostess, North's old friend, had already shared what she knew of his curse when Sydelle had unwittingly discovered the blackened skin he hid under his gloves a few nights prior whilst he'd been asleep. But she hadn't known much either; the curse was passed from father to son, both North's father and grandfather had suffered and died an early death from it. And there was no known cure. Nothing, nothing at all Sydelle could do to ease this pain. She _hated_ being helpless.

She lifted her free hand to brush his black hair out of his face, studying the dark circles under his eyes and the slight frown on his face, even resting. She sighed, thinking to herself what she wouldn't give to see that grin she'd once found so infuriating. To be rattled by the intensity of his dark eyes. Those were, after all, the first thing she'd been attracted to, from the first moment she'd met him. Knew nothing of who he was, or what he wanted, but she'd already fallen in love with those eyes.

And now, sitting at the edge of his bed, watching the way the firelight played across his features, she knew she'd fallen in love with all of him.

She let out a humorless laugh, when that thought reached her. It was completely true, of course; she loved him. But that didn't take the rueful humor away from it. She had _hated _him _so much_. He kept everything to himself, and it seemed the only joy he found was in teasing her. Their first weeks of traveling she'd spend evenings studying her small map figuring out just where she would have the wizard take her once she was free. That was all she wanted; rid of him.

Somewhere in their traveling that had changed, so subtly that she couldn't truly say when. North grew kinder, told her more when she asked. She spoke more to him as well, realizing how often she, too, had locked herself away from him. His teasing never stopped, but even that Sydelle found some exasperated amusement in. Her hated shortening of her name to 'Syd' became something she would terribly miss if he ever stopped, as well as his habit of playing with her hair.

But, lovely as thinking about it was, realization that she loved him only made her feel worse knowing the pain and the fate his curse had for him. She tugged off his gloves and studied where the black began and ended. It had spread... considerably. The last three fingers of his left hand were taken and the color was spreading to his palm. His right hand, untouched at her last look, now had the smallest finger tinged grey. Tears stung at her eyes as she slid the gloves back on. How old had his father been? 35? It sounded so far away when North was only 18, but it was too close. Too soon.

When she looked up from his hand it was to meet his eyes. Surprised, she set his hands down. She hadn't expected, after everything, he'd still be awake.

"Are... Are you alright?" He asked her, his voice a scratchy whisper. She nearly laughed; all the pain and hurt he'd been through and he was asking her if she was alright.

"No," She answered truthfully.

That got a weak smile from him. "You should sleep, Syd."

"So should you."

"I will," He promised, obviously to ease her concern. He raised a hand to her cheek suddenly, "You're crying." He accused, dark eyes deeply troubled by this.

She shook her head a little, "I'm fine, North. Get some rest, please."

He smiled ruefully, but closed his eyes as told, mumbling to himself, "I always manage to make you cry." More to himself, than her - she was losing him to sleep again. And while that was certainly the truth she found she had the strength to laugh a little.

"I don't mind." She replied softly, which was also the truth.

When it was clear North had fallen asleep she sighed, leaning down to press her lips lightly to his forehead. She stood and stretched, smiling once more at the man she loved before leaving the room to tell her hostess there would be some changes in their plans.

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><p>I took a bit of liberties with the conversation as he is supposed to be dead asleep for the rest of that night - but I wanted a little more fluff between the pair of them.<p>

Anyways, I hope you liked! :)


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